Parachute



Aug. 5, 1924. I 1,504,103

J. J. DAVINET AL PARACHUTE Filed Feb. 12 1924 2 SheetsShee-t .1

A if i awn-gout JohnJDamn 7 32 i 55 H M Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN

PARAGHUTE.

Application filed February 12, 1924. Serial No. 692,384.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN J. DAVIN and FRANK J. JIoHA, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Parachutes, of which the following is a specification.

Our said invention relates to parachutes and it is an object of the same to provide a parachute which shall be simple in construction and very certain and safe in its operation. A further object is to provide a parachute which shall have a true hemispherical form and therefore a greater spread.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is an elevation of our device in open position,

Figure 2, a similar View in closed position, Figure 3, an elevation showing another form of pack, I

Figure 4, a vertical section of the same, Figure 5 illustrates a sustaining means for the hanging parachute by which it is secured to a dirigible an aeroplane or a balloon, and Y Figure 6 is an elevation of a girdle in position on the lower part of the parachute.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates the bottom ring of the parachute to which are attached two sets of lines 11 and 12. These lines are attached at their outer ends to the frame of the parachute, the lines 12'passing through eyes13 on arms 14 and thence to eyes 15 at the upper ends of the outer auxiliary arms 16 which are pivoted at 17 to the main arms 14. The lines 11 are connected to the outer ends of the arms 16 at 18 by means of eyelets or other suitable devices. The outer arms 16 are held in spaced relation to the main arms 14 when the parachute is closed by means ofblocks 19 and the arms 14 are pivoted at their lower ends to a hub 20 provided with grooves to hold the arms in spaced relation. A post '21 extends up from the hub and a spacer 22 near the upper end of the post serves to hold the upper ends of arm sections 16 away from the post. The cloth 23 of the parachute is secured to the upper end of the post and hangs down from the same in the folded position of the parachute as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 in a short pack in which the depending skirt of the cloth is folded between the post and the arms in a loop as indicated at 24 in Figure 4 or-else in a long pack as indicated at 25 in Figure 3, where the cloth remains on the outside of the arms.

It will be seen that the lines 12 are always held tight in the operation of the device so that the weight of the operator when the parachute is put into use is transmitted directly through the eyes 13 to the upper ends of the rib sections 15 pivoted on main arms 14 outside the circle of pivots on hub 20 and outside the circle of eyes 15, the weight of the operator thus acting very effectually to open the parachute. The lines 11 are loose at this time and until the parachute is fully opened at which time the eyes 15' approach close to eyes 13, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, while the lines 11 secured to what are now the outer ends of the compound arms are also drawn taut as may be seen in Figure 1.

For suspending the parachute on an aeroplane, a dirigible or a balloon, a bracket 26 may be secured thereto by screws or otherwise this bracket having at one corner a pivot 27 for a bent hook 28 on which may rest a loop 29 at the upper end of the parachute. The hook is normally held in closed position by means of a spring 30 but may be instantly released by a pull on the cord 31 and will ordinarily be so arranged that the mere weight of the operator will disconnect the parachute if for any reason the cord should not operate the hook with sufficient quickness.

In Figure 6 we have indicated a girdle 32 provided with shoulder straps 33 and a seat composed of front straps 34 and a rear strap 35 all of which parts are fastened together'by buckles as shown. The girdle is provided with cords 36 converging at 37 and either secured to the ring 10 at their upper ends or if preferred separatecords may be provided at 38 for connecting the ends of the cords 86 to the. ring 10.

. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in our device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore we do not desire to limit ourselves to the specific device shown in the drawings and described the outer ends of post, a hub secured to the holding the 'the'parachute is 25 "end of the auxiliary ribs,

"auxiliary arms,

midway of their the parachute, a spring 1n closed position,

in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described our said in vention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A parachute comprising a post,a cloth covering centrally secured to the top of the post at a distance: from the top, a series of main arms pivoted to the hub, auxiliary arms pivoted to the outer ends of the main arms, and means for outer ends of the auxiliary arms 1n spaced relation to'the main arms when the parachute is closed,"and means for se curing the outer edge of the cloth to the auxiliary arms adjacent to their outer ends. substantially as set forth. I I

2. A parachute comprising a post,a'hub secured thereto, a series of main arms pivoted to the hub, auxiliary arms pivoted to the main ribs, means for holding the lower'ends of the auxiliary arms in spaced relation to the main arms when closed, and a spac r near the upper end of the post to hold the auxiliary arms spaced therefrom, substantially as set forth.

A parachute comprising a post, a hub secured thereto, a series of main arms pivoted to the hub, auxiliary arms pivoted to the outer ends of the main ribs, means for holding the outer ends'of the auxiliary arms i'n'spaced relation to the main arms when the parachute is closed, normally tight lines passing through eyes approximately midway of the main arms and secured to one and normally loose lines secured tothe outcrends of the substantially as set forth.

4. A. parachute comprising a post, a hub secured'thereto, main armspivoted on the hub, auxiliary ribs pivoted approximately length tothe main arms, means for holding the auxiliary ribs in spacedfrel'ation to the post and inclined relatively to said main arms when in closed position the folds of'the closed parachute being adapted to be received'betweenthe series of ribs and the post, substantially as set forth.

chine, of a'suspending device for parachutes comprising a bracket, secured to the flying against one side of the bracket said end su'pporting a hook secured to the upper end of forholding the hook and manually operated "tight lines passing of 'theoperator tends 'an'd'jointed Offthe cloth said arms being swmgmgly end adapted to bear means for releasing the hook, substantially as set forth.

6. A parachute comprising a post, a set of arms pivotally connect-ed to the post at their lower ends, auxiliary arms pivoted intermediate their ends to the main ribs, and means for holding the outer ends of the auxiliary arms spaced away from the main arms when the parachute is closed, sub-stantially as set forth.

7. A parachute comprising a post, a set of arms pivotally connected to the post at their lower ends, auxiliary ribs pivoted intermediate their ends to the main arms, means for holding the outer-ends of the auxiliary arms spaced away from the main arms when the parachute is closed, and lines connected to the inner ends of the auxiliary arms whereby the weight of the operator tends to open the parachute, substantially as i 8. A' parachute comp-risingape-st, a hub secured thereto, a series of main arms'pivoted to the hub, aux-iliaryribspivoted to the outer" ends of the main arms, means for holding the lower ends of th auxiliary arms in spacedrelation to the main arms when the parachnte is closed, a spacer near the post to hold the auxiliary arms spaced therefrom, and normally through guides on the main arms and secured to the outer ends of the auxiliary arms whereby the weight to openth'e parachute, substantially as set forth.

9. In a parachute, a post, a cloth coveringcentrally secured at the top of the post, and arms connected to the outer edge of the cloth said" arms being 'swing'ingly mounted 'on the postat a distance from the top, and said cloth covering being otherwise freeof support, substantially as setforth. I 10. 'In a parachute, post, a cloth-covering centrally secured at theto-p of the post,

arms connected to the outer edge mounted on the' po stat' a distance from the top, and said cloth covering being other wise free" of support, sub'stantially as set "forth.- 5. The "combination with a flying ma- 'In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our handsand seals at Chicagmlllinois, this 24th day 'of Janua ry, A. Dininiateen'hundred and twenty-four.

JOHN J DAV'IN.

. [risil FRANK 'J. "JICHA-F [14s.] VVitnesse's: i

CLYDE AsHLEY, CnARLns CLAR 

